Inset valve for radiators



C. D. HICKMAN INSET VALVE FOR RADIATORS Filed Aug. 5. 1922 3.Sheets-Sheet 1 WITNESS:

INVENTOR A TT ORNE Y 1929; c. D. HlCKM-AN ,738,052

INSET VALVE FOR RADIATORS Filed Aug. 5. 1922 :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 3,1929. I c, K N 1,738,052

INSET VALVE FOR RADIATORS Filed Aug. 5, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wl TNESS;I I N VEN TOR %Zf4ib mzm A TTORNE Y Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE INSET VALVE FOB. summons Application filed August 5, 1922.Serial No. 579,926.

My invention relates to steam and hot water radiators and moreparticularly to means for inclusion of the inlet and thermostaticout-let valves or return traps within the body of the radiators.

The main purpose of my invention is to provide an improved radiator atonce easy and inexpensive to manufacture and adapted to adequately andefiiciently meet the needs of service.

A further purpose is to provide an improved inlet valve within theradiator operated by short angular throw of the lever and adapted toremain stationary against the pressures of radiator practice.

Further purposes will appear in the specification and in the claim.

I have preferred to illustrate my invention in a few forms only amongthe many in which 2 it may appear, applying these forms to the diiferenttypes of radiator in general use, selecting forms that are easy tomanufacture, well adapted to meet the needs of service, and that wellillustrate the principles involved.

Figures 1 and 2 are end and side elevations respectively illustrating myinvention in a column form or radiator.

Figures 3 and 4: are end and side elevations of my invention in a walltype of radiator.

Figure 5 is a broken sectional elevation upon line 5--5 of Figure 2 tosomewhat enlarged scale, illustrating a form of thermostatic outletvalve.

Figures 6 and 7 are fragmentary sections 35 upon the lines 66 and 7-7respectively of Figure 8.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical section of Figure 2 upon line 8-8 butomitting the piping and to enlarged scale. I

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section of Figure 4 taken upon the line 99 toenlarged scale, and shows the inlet valve.

Figure 10 is a section of Figure 9 upon line 1010.

Figure 11 is a section similar to Figure 9 of another form of inletvalve.

Figure 12 shows my invention in side elevation in branch Ts or manifoldsused with pipe coil radiators.

Figure 13 is a fragmentary side elevation of my invention illustratingan inlet near the middle of the manifold.

Figure 14 is a top plan view illustrating my invention in the manifoldsof pipe coil radiators, in this instance intended for ceiling use. 5

Figure 15 is a horizontal section of Figure 12 parallel to the plane ofthe paper and toenlarged scale.

Figure 1.6 is a section of Figure 15 upon line 1616.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary vertical central section of Figure 13parallel to the paper to enlarged scale.

Figure 18 is a section of Figure 13 upon line 18-18, omitting the pipingand to enlarged scale.

Figure 19 is a section of Figure 1 1 through the middle of the inletvalve in the plane of the paper.

In the drawings similar numerals indicate like parts in all figures.

Effort has been made in the illustrations to indicate that my inventionis suited to all steam and hot water types of radiators, however placed,though I have shown the invention in a few standard types only.

Referring to the drawings and describing in illustration and not inlimitation 2 Prior to my invention it has been usual to supplyindividual radiators with an inlet valve for hand adjustment of themaximum flow of heating medium that may enter the given radiator and,where the system admits of it a thermostatic outlet valve or return trapintended to allow of condensation without unduly wasting steam. However,both inlet and thermostatic outlet valves have been made external of theradiator and the result has been that they not only occupy considerablespace, making them unnecessarily in the way, but also they have had tobe shipped separate ly from the radiator, to be installed after theradiator has been set up, and when installed are subject to accident byreason of being exposed and relatively unprotected. They have addedunnecessary parts, as compared with mine and, being exposed toview, havehad to be suitably and more or less expensively finished. i

I have discovered that these valves may integral therewith. I thus doaway with the need for more or less expensive valve finish, greaternumber of parts, do away with the necessity for shipping radiators andvalves separately-or. for installing the valves on the radiator afterthe radiator has been received, save expense for installation, do awaywith the requirement for valve space at the radiator thus permittinggiven available space to have a larger radiator or a iven radiator tooccupy less space, and in a dition to this protect the valveseffectually from accidents during service.

In the column form of radiators shown in Figures 1 and 2, the radiatorcomprises suocessivesections 36 in. conduit connection at the bottom orat top and bottom, the sec-' tion atone end being provided with inletomineotion 37 and thesection at the other :end with anoutlet connection38.

The inlet connection 37 is tapped into the inlet compartment 39 whichcommunicates at an angle with the inlet connection through the valveseat40 into the main portion all of the interior of the radiator.

This is best seen in Figures 6 to 8. The valve. 42has a stem 43extending through the removable plug 44 with the lever 45 outside theplug for operating. The forward portion soot the plug is provided withsteep internal threads. 47 and 48 which mesh with the respective ends ofthe pin 49 through the stem. 7 Packing 50, made tight by means of glandnut 51, prevents the valve from leaking and is made sufficiently tightto avoid any variation in position of the valve by reason of thepressure upon its disc.

The outer face 52 of the removable plug 44 is preferably provided with aseries of holes. 53, a stop pin 54 adapted to fit in any one of theseholes, limiting the opening position of the Operating lever 45 andthereby the maximum flow into the radiator. The arrangement is thus onein which the inlet valve may be set. to any one of the maximum flowsthat correspond to the different positions of the stop pin.

- It; will be noted that the use of the compartment makes it possible tohave the valve seat face the side or end of the radiator section S0 asto provide for convenient and efactive finishing of the valve seatthrough the opening and at close range, improving the character of theseat and reducing the cost and'length of the valve operating parts. Theseat can thus be cast into the radiator section integral with thecompartment and tinished in position and the plug which closes theopening giving access to the valve seat can be used to carry the valveand operating arts. P Where the inlet opening is in the bottom of theradiator the valve-seat can face either the side or end of the radiatorsection. Where the inlet is in the side or end the valve seat faces theend or side respectively. This construction places a premium upon havingthe axis of the valve seat perpendicular to the axis of the inlet to thecompartment though variations from this structure are permissible andwould obtain a part of the benefitof my complete invention.

The same discussion regarding the relative location of the parts, accessto the valve seat for finishing and access to the valve as well as theangular relations and positioning of the exterior connection and valveface which have been given above with respect to the inlet valve applyalso to the outlet valve and would apply to any outlet valve which mightbe used. Because of the modern trend toward thermostatic outlet valvesthe illustration of the outlet valves have been restricted herein tothermostatic valves.

One thermostatic valve is shown in Figure 5, a broken sectionalelevation of Figure 2 upon line 5-5 to enlarged scale. The thermostat ishere shown as located within the main part of the radiator section, butthis is obviously not essential. The thermostatic element 55 may be ofany of the various forms. For convenience in illustration 1 have shownit as a metal tube returning upon itself, bent to an ellipse and ofelliptical section and containing suitable liquid and saturated vapor,such as alcohol, ether, carbon tetrachloride or other volatile fluid.One end (along its minor axis) carries the valve 56 which is looselypivoted at 57 and resiliently held vertical by the spring 58. The tubeat the other end of its minor axis is rigidly connected to the uprightlug 59 which is integral with the radiator. Vertical adjustment isprovided. Adjustment longitudinally along the minor axis of theelliptical annuloid tube in practice need be very slight and may bedisregarded. It may be made by changing the thickness of the washer 60.

The seat 61 of the thermostatic valve opens into the outlet compartment62 and is preferably cast integral with the radiator. The removable plug63 provides access to the thermostatic valve, for inspection or removal.

My invention is shown in a wall type of radiator in Figures 3, 4i, 9, 10and 11.

The radiator 35 comprises sections 36' in conduit connection at top andbottom, and is provided with inlet connection 37 at one end and outletconnection 88 at the other.

The inlet connection 37' is tapped into the inlet compartment 39 whichcommunicates at an angle to the inlet through the valve seat 40 into themain portion 41 of the interior of the radiator.

The inlet valve 42 shown in Figures 9 and 10 is the same as alreadydescribed in the column type of radiator. The short operating lever isadapted to easy operation by the foot.

The inlet valve as shown at 42 and 42 depends upon the tightness of thepacking to prevent the closed valve from opening of itself by reason ofthe greater pressure upon its inlet side. While this form is inexpensiveand effective, the gripping pressure of the packing upon the stem intime lessens with use with the result that the nut 51 has to beoccasionally tightened and at intervals additional packing has to beadded to the gland.

In Figure 11 the valve is shown in a form that practically avoids thisnecessity for occasional tightening of the packing gland. The stem s3 ismade in intersliding interlocking portions '4, 65. The inner portion 64is non-circular, as square, and slidingly fits into the recess 66 in theinner end of the outer portion 65. The steep internal threads 47 48 andthe pin 49 are as already described.

The removable plug 44: is counterbored at 67 to provide a gland for theouter portion (35 of the stem, which is externally circular and providedwith the flange 68 fitting the counter-bore and engaging and pressingupon the soft metal ring 69 at the bottom of the ccunterbore. *Withinthe counterbore be tween the flange and the gland nut 51 I placepreferably resilient packing The outer portion of the stem is rigidlyconnected to the operating handle 4:5 the noncircular portion 70 of themember 65 fitting through the corresponding non-circular aperturethrough the handle and held in place by nut 71 on the threaded end 72 ofthe member 65.

Evidently there is no longitudinal motion of the member 65 and theresult is that the longitudinal pressure of the resilient packing uponthe flange 68 remains practically unchanged almost indefinitely.

In shipping a radiator provided with the inlet valve, the valve handlewill usually be taken off to avoid risk of breakage in shipment.

The inlet valve shown in Figures 15, 16 is essentially that of Figures79 though placed somewhat differently, viz, placed in the inletcompartment 39 rather than in the main interior portion 41 of theradiator. An advantage of placing it thus Within the inlet compartmentrather than within the radiator proper is that there is no tendency forthe valve to open of itself when closed. Description of Figure 7 readsalso to Figures 15, 16 when using subscript 3.

The inlet valve shown in Figures 17 and 18 at the middle of the manifoldof the figure and in the inlet compartment 39 is essentially the same asthat of Figures 15 and 16 and, using subscript 4, the same descriptionapplies.

The inlet valve shown in Figure 19 is generally the same as those inFigures 15 and 16 and 17 and 18 and the same description applies usingsubscript 5.

In view of my invention modifications and variations will doubtlessbecome evident to others skilled in the art, to meet particular needs orindividual whims, and I claim all such modifications and variations inso far as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is The combination of a radiator, a main inletvalve seat therein near the bottom of the radiator, a valve disctherefor, a valve stem, a plug removably screwed into the radiator andat its inner end supporting the stem, a steep internal thread in theforward end of the plug and surrounding the stem, a lateral projectionfrom the stem meshing with the thread, a sleeve coaxial with the stemand axially intersliding therewith and circumferentially interlockingtherewith about the intersliding end thereof and of circular externalsection, a counterbore in the outer end of the plug about the sleeve, aflange on the sleeve approximately fitting and near the botton of thecounterbore, packing between the bottom of the counterbore and theflange, a gland nut adjustably threaded to the plug, coaxial with thesleeve and adapted to approximately close the counterbore about thesleeve, resilient packing between the gland and flange, and means forrotatating the sleeve at will to operate the valve.

CHARLES D. HIGKMAN.

